Almost
by TelepathicTimelord180
Summary: Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy lost all that they had once held dear when they broke up. Now, Rose wonders how much of her past was just a facade, and how much was really love.
**Author's note: Here it is, my first attempt at a Harry Potter next-gen! The characters are not given much depth in this story, but the representations I had in my head while writing it were a mixture of my own interpretation and the versions in Moonprincess92's** **Getting It Right** **universe. The lyrics (the italicized words that are not flashbacks) are from** ** _Almost Lover_** **by A Fine Frenzy. I do not own the song, I do not own Rose, Scorpius, Albus, Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, or any other HP words mentioned. Also, just a warning- there is no happy ending. Enjoy.**

 _Your fingertips across my skin,_

 _The palm trees swayin' in the wind._

 _Images…_

* * *

Rose was sitting in a striped green armchair with a stack of polaroid pictures. The chair reminded her so much of the one in her hotel in Florida, where they had gone three years ago. Where they had sat together, and stared out the window for hours on end.

"They", not just "she". "They".

* * *

 _You sang me Spanish lullabies,_

 _The sweetest sadness in your eyes._

 _Clever trick._

* * *

She could still remember the words to the songs he had sung for her. They were in Spanish- an odd thing for someone with no Spanish background to sing to a lover, but romantic all the same.

That was the first picture she found in the pile: there was that armchair, with its characteristic green stripes, and there he was, his arm around her. She was mid-laugh, her curly red hair flying around her face, and he was making a silly face at the camera, his eyes sparkling. Oh, those eyes. She melted every time she saw them. Those eyes that she learned to treat as a refuge, one non-judgemental face to get lost in. Those eyes that she looked into so often and though "This will never last," but indulged in the presence of them anyway. Those eyes that she hated to see disappointed.

* * *

 _I never want to see you unhappy._

 _I thought you'd want the same for me._

* * *

Yes, that was her weakness. She couldn't bear to see him upset, she had to do everything she could to make him happy. And eventually, the only thing that would make him happy was if they parted ways.

* * *

 _Goodbye my almost lover,_

 _Goodbye my hopeless dream._

 _I'm trying not to think about you,_

 _Can't you just let me be?_

* * *

Why, _why_ was she forcing herself to look at these pictures? They only brought back pain and memories. The worst was when they brought back happiness. That happiness was gone forever, and she knew it.

* * *

 _So long my luckless romance._

 _My back is turned on you._

 _Should've known you'd bring me heartache-_

 _Almost lovers always do._

* * *

Rose knew she could never forget him. She knew she was still in love. But it didn't matter. All that mattered was that he wasn't.

How had this even happened to her in the first place?

* * *

 _We walked along a crowded street,_

 _You took my hand and danced with me._

 _Images…_

* * *

There was her answer, in the next polaroid- that wonderful yet fateful day in Hogsmeade. She remembered it clearly…

" _Albus!" Rose shouted. "Albus, where'd you go?!" She couldn't believe herself. She had literally_ lost _her cousin. She tried to calm down. She knew he would be fine- he was 15, for God's sake, the same age as her! But she just couldn't seem to stop panicking. It was a busy day, it was late, Albus was known for getting lost super easily, what would happen if-_

" _Gah!" She ran into something hard. Looking up, she could see blond hair, a sharp chin, a silver and green scarf, and an annoyed expression._

" _Excuse me, do you mind? Or is running into people just another of your many talents, Weasley?"_

 _Rose's eyes narrowed._ Not now _, she thought frantically._ I don't have time for this. " _Scorpius, piss off already. I'm trying to find my cousin. You of all people should care about his." Scorpius and Albus were both in Slytherin, and had become surprisingly good friends, mostly over Albus keeping Rose from killing Scorpius multiple times._

 _Scorpius' expression changed ever so slightly. "What makes you think I'd care about anything related to_ you _, Weasley?" He glanced around, seeming to check for anyone who might be listening in on their conversation._

 _Rose started to reply, then stopped herself. "Wait, what?"_

 _Scorpius looked down. Rose could swear she saw him blushing. "Um.. I…"_

" _I meant concerned about the well-being of Albus. You guys are like, friends. What did you think?"_

 _Now his face was definitely red. "Well, Weasley, I… I kind of… like you?" He said it as a question, and Rose almost laughed._

" _You? Like me? Like, like_ that _? Why?" Now she was actually curious. They hated each other. Didn't they? The more she thought about it, the more she realized how much Scorpius was in her mind. She daydreamed about their next conversations, ways she could impress him with her comebacks and wit. And didn't she often seek out Albus with the intention of finding them both?_

" _Um…" Again, Scorpius was at a loss for words. "I… don't know, I always have, but… I can't tell anyone. They'll judge me. Or tell Father." He looked up again. "Please don't tell anyone, please don't tell my father-!"_

 _But no, she had stepped towards him, and she was smiling. "Scorpius, I… kind of like you a lot too. I didn't know it until now, though." Both blushing furiously, they stared at each other in silence for a little. Then, finally, they smiled._

 _They kept chatting, and walking around, and it was like normal- teasing, but this time none of the teasing showed any sign of dislike. They were sitting on a cold bench when Scorpius reached for Rose's hand. Suddenly, he jumped back like her hand was on fire._

" _What's the problem?" Rose was slightly dejected, but mostly concerned._

" _People… watching… they'll see… Father…" He was frantically glancing around. Rose inwardly groaned. As if they weren't already showing that they didn't hate each other._

" _Come on, I have something to show you!" She said brightly, standing and beckoning him away from the shops. He got up, seeming eager to get off the topic of his insecurity._

 _She led him to an open area, away from the main space. No one else was there, and it was nicely hidden by some trees. "There," she said. "Here, no one can judge you."_

 _He smiled and got down on one knee. "In that case, can I have this dance, Mademoiselle?"_

 _She grinned. "You may."_

 _And so they danced, almost tripping on the slippery ground in their clunky winter boots. They danced and they danced and they danced._

That was how it had started.

* * *

 _And when you left you kissed my lips-_

 _You told me you'd never ever forget these images._

 _No!_

* * *

That was the beginning, yes, but what happened next? Rose forced herself to think back… she held the next polaroid tight… a photo of snow imprinted with boot prints from their dance…

 _Before she knew it, she was being lifted up, she was being kissed, she was kissing him back. It was passionate at first, but soon became a light kiss, they were laughing through it, everything was perfect. Too soon, they were walking back to the castle, no longer holding hands or standing too close._

" _Rose!" Albus ran up behind her. She had totally forgotten about him._

" _Where-"_

" _I was in Madam Puddifoot's, let me tell you what happened…" Albus launched into a rant about some girl that was hitting on him, but Rose was barely listening. Scorpius had turned away, but she had definitely felt him slip something into her bag. She pulled the note out quietly, trying not to disturb Albus, and read it to herself over and over again-_

" _I will never forget."_

Those polaroids were some of the only things keeping Rose from thinking that whole day, that promise, was just a figment of her imagination.

* * *

 _But I never want to see you unhappy._

 _I thought you'd want the same for me!_

* * *

Had he forgotten that very promise to remember?

Had he forgotten everything he'd done to make her happy?

Had he forgotten everything she'd done for him?

She knew the answer: He probably had.

* * *

 _Goodbye my almost lover._

 _Goodbye my hopeless dream._

 _I'm trying not to think about you,_

 _Can't you just let me be?_

* * *

Too much, she had given him. Too much had been taken away when he left. When he left. A day she had tried so hard to erase from her memory.

" _Is that it, then? Is that why you never go out in public with me? Because you're scared?"_

" _Maybe my family isn't quite as accepting of who I bring home, Weasley!" She cringed. He hadn't called her that in two years._

" _I get that your father doesn't like the idea of this, but you're gonna have to do something eventually! Why don't you say something to him? I can't live like this, Scorp, I can't always be hiding. I can't do it."_

" _Well, since you'd be so much happier if this was all over, I guess I'll just be leaving now."_

" _What- no! I don't want to break up, Scorp, I just need a change. I can't-"_

" _Here's your change, then. Goodbye, Weasley."_

 _His icy words still ringing in the air, Scorpius left, slamming the door behind him._

And that was how it had ended.

* * *

 _So long my luckless romance._

 _My back is turned on you._

 _Should've known you'd bring me heartache-_

 _Almost lovers always do._

* * *

That's it. She should've known he'd be trouble. Should've realized that it would never last. It was obvious, in retrospect. They couldn't get along. It would never have worked.

* * *

 _I cannot go to the ocean,_

 _I cannot drive the streets at night!_

 _I cannot wake up in the morning,_

 _Without you on my mind._

* * *

He had never gone away.

Still there, hiding in photographs. Still there, blond hairs showing up all over the house. Still there, in the back of her mind, never, ever, leaving.

Everywhere.

* * *

 _So now you're gone and I'm haunted,_

 _And I bet you're just fine!_

 _Did I make it that easy to walk right in and out_

 _Of my life?_

* * *

And not once had he said a word to her. In the three months since they'd split, she had seen him exactly 76 times- being friends with Albus even through the breakup, he was around a lot. But not once had they even made eye contact. Not once had he cared.

Why couldn't she let go?

It was her life. It was almost her decision. She should be happy. But why? Why was she reduced to a puddle of tears, when she should be letting go already?

Was it that simple to hurt her?

Was it?

* * *

 _Goodbye my almost lover._

 _Goodbye my hopeless dream._

 _I'm trying not to think about you._

 _Can't you just let me be?_

* * *

There it was. The last polaroid. Just a picture of him.

Him- the beautiful, mysterious, arrogant, silly, creative, insecure boy who had once been hers.

Had they ever had something? Had he ever loved her as much as she loved him? They could never be together. She should have known.

* * *

 _So long my luckless romance!_

 _My back is turned on you!_

* * *

Turning away. Pushing back. It should be easy. It should be so simple.

The polaroids fell to the floor as Rose stood up. She hadn't realized how much she'd crying. Tears dripped down her face and hit the picture of Scorpius that she had looked at last. The liquid smudged the face of her lost partner.

Her promise.

Her memory.

Her long-ago happiness.

Her lover.

Almost.

* * *

 _Should've known you'd bring me heartache-_

 _Almost lovers always do._


End file.
